Dr. Andrew Weil

No hocus-pocus here, no quick weight-loss promises from wellness guru Andrew
Weil, MD. Weil sums up his philosophy in four words: "Eat less, exercise more."
Weil urges readers of his several best-sellers, including the latest, Eating
Well for Optimum Health, and his popular Web site (www.drweil.com) to look upon
eating with a sensibility that is more Eastern than Western.

Naturally he points out that what we eat does influence our health in a big
way. But he adds this caveat: Diet is only one aspect of our lifestyle, and
lifestyle is only one variable in the mix of factors that determines whether we
are blessed with well-being or whether we feel out of sorts.

That said, Weil claims that diet can positively impact numerous health
concerns, from allergies to body odor, from ear infections to irritable bowel
syndrome, from arthritis to sinusitis, as well as make it easy to control our
weight. He urges readers not to seek solutions promising quick weight loss
(since it will almost certainly come back) but to set realistic goals: say,
losing one to two pounds a week, max -- the amount that nutritionists and most
medically sponsored weight-loss programs counsel as safe, sane, and reasonable.